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Carson Fisher wins state Tar Wars contest

Carson Fisher of Sheffield (center) displays his winning Tar Wars poster which took not only top honors in the Bureau County contest but also won top honors at the state level. Standing with Carson for photos are runners-up Jenna Nordstrom (left) and Saylor Jildera (right). Not able to attend Tuesday's awards ceremony at the Bureau County Metro Center was runner-up Max Wollerman. Carson, a fourth-grader at Bureau Valley South, will represent Illinois at the national Tar Wars competition this summer in Washington, D. C.

PRINCETON — A Bureau Valley South student won the Bureau County Tar Wars tobacco-free poster contest and then turned around to win the state competition as well.

Carson Fisher learned he was the state winner at Tuesday evening’s awards ceremony sponsored by the Bureau/Putnam County Health Department and held at the Bureau County Metro Center in Princeton. More than 300 fourth- and fifth-grade students from area schools submitted posters for the annual local Tar Wars contest, with the artists of the Top 20 posters honored at Tuesday’s event.

Runners-up in the Bureau County contest were Max Wollerman, Jenna Nordstrom, both of Bureau Valley South, and Saylor Jildera of Ohio Grade School. Saylor learned on Tuesday evening that her poster went on to win third place in the state contest.

As the overall state winner, Carson will go in July to Washington D.C., to compete in the national Tar Wars contest. The Illinois Family Physician Association, which sponsors Tar Wars, is sending Carson and a family member to the national competition.

Carson’s winning poster depicted a big gold fish in a sea of blue, with a nearby cigarette dangling from a hook. The message on the poster simply stated, “Don’t get hooked.”

At Tuesday’s awards ceremony, Carson smiled as he explained he had chosen to draw a fish for the poster because he loves to hunt and fish. He completed the poster in just a day or two, the fourth-grader said.

“I just can’t believe I was chosen first in the entire state of Illinois,” Carson said. “I am excited to go to Washington, D.C.!”

Carson’s parents, Angie and Chad Fisher, said they are very proud of their son.

Carson’s physical education and health teacher Vicki Litherland said she has someone from the local health department come to the school each year to explain and promote the Tar Wars program; she said the program is an excellent resource for her.

She learned last week about Carson’s first-place state poster, Litherland said.

“It’s so exciting and wonderful for our student to represent Illinois,” Litherland said.

Joy Jaraczewski, health educator with the Bureau/Putnam County Health Department, said the purpose of the Tar Wars poster contest is to promote being smoke free and to educate people about the dangers of tobacco use. Carson’s poster was simple and to the point, with just the right message to not get hooked on tobacco, she said.